Featured
by JennaBennett
Summary: I know 'Always' is immortalised in our minds as perhaps the greatest thing ever. But, what if it had gone differently? What if the case was just your run of the mill murder – with no tie to Johanna Beckett's web of conspiracy? Where would this have left things for our favourite couple? I, for one, think they may have gotten around to that double feature… Two shot. Mid-Always...
1. Chapter 1

_Featured_

Richard Castle was a lucky man. He and Beckett had pieced together the case quickly and succinctly. He hadn't missed anything making it to his daughter's graduation in time. The case was closed, the story told and his little girl had given the best damn valedictorian speech he'd heard in a long time. The stunning detective sitting beside him hadn't dampened the occasion in the slightest either. Beckett had surprised him as he hastily threw his goodbyes to the bullpen, pursuing him, her hand snatching at the end of his jacket.

"Can I come?" she breathed expectantly, a tiny tinge of hesitation floating after her words.

"Huh, what?" Castle mumbled, distracted by the play of her fingers on his jacket, steadily skimming over the leather toward the exposed skin of his hand.

"Alexis' graduation. If it's an imposition, don't worry, I just…" she was cut off by the press of his fingers to her lips.

"Hush woman, of course you can come. I should have invited you. I didn't realise you would want to come…" he trailed away with a shrug. She smiled softly.

"I'd love to come, Castle. I haven't seen Alexis since, well, you know. She won't mind will she?" Beckett added as an afterthought.

"More guaranteed applause for her speech? She won't mind in the slightest!" Castle hoped to god that he wasn't lying. Alexis should be happy to see the detective there. She liked Beckett. Just, with Castle's recent behaviour – and attitude… Hmm… It work would out. Beckett _wanted_ to be there. She was coming home with him tonight for a John Woo double feature. He had nothing to worry about. This was a progress. This was a definite step in the right direction. His heart fluttered in anticipation. Progress. Progress was undoubtedly a good thing.

He pulled himself away from his thoughts, drew his eyes from the stage – Alexis wasn't speaking anymore – and chanced a glance at the woman beside him. He didn't really need to look at her. He was already hyper-aware of her presence. Her hand was on her thigh, practically brushing his, he could feel the spark of heat from her proximity. It was electric. He was near hyperventilating at the mere thought. He crossed and uncrossed his ankles, he was jittery to the point of literally bouncing in his seat. It was not smooth, nor charming. He needed to be charming, tonight of all nights. He had a movie date with Beckett. Or? Well? No, screw it. It totally was a date. No backing down. Even if she didn't think it was a date. He was going to "date it up", "date the hell out of it", "date…" Mmm, for a bestselling novelist, he really had some issues with coherency when it came to this woman. This remarkable, conundrum of a woman.

She applauded beside him and he painstakingly dragged his attention back to the stage, mimicking her clap a beat too slow. Whoops. Oh well. He really had to get that smooth thing in check. There wasn't time for it at the present though, as the ceremony was ending. His baby girl was a graduate. He couldn't have contained his grin if he tried.

Alexis joined them in the massive throng of people crowding the floor. He hugged her tightly before passing her off to his mother. As he watched them embrace, Beckett startled him. Her hand coming to rest in the crux of his elbow.

"She's amazing, Castle," she murmured, her breath warm at his ear, the sensation setting his nerves on fire.

"I, uh, thanks," he choked out in response. She grinned and leaned into his side.

"You're an incredible father," she continued, her tone devoid of teasing. Castle managed to remember to breathe, drawing air shakily into his lungs as Beckett's body pressed up against his, keeping close in the crowd.

"Beckett…" he started, his voice low, trembling with barely masked desire. He cleared his throat. She merely sighed in response.

"And that speech, our solid ground, our north star, with us always…" she recants, not word for word, but close enough, the meaning intact. "It resonated with me," she adds softly, a certain undeniable tenderness to her tone. Castle nodded his agreement, too entranced by the woman at his side to really comment.

Alexis pulls away from Martha and turns back to them. Beckett offer her a soft smile, Castle sees it for what it is, an apology of sorts for the way things have been lately. This uneasiness between them all. Alexis' lips twist upwards, an echo of the sentiment. Beckett releases an unsteady breath and releases Castle, stepping around him to reach carefully towards Alexis. The girl throws herself into Beckett's arms with verve. Castle doesn't think everything has been resolved, not even close. Just the excitement of this night is infectious. His beautiful, gracious graduate. If he grins any wider his cheeks will split open with the force of his enthusiasm.

"Dad, dad, father… Richard Castle!" His daughter is rolling his eyes at him with a look of amusement.

"Yes, sweetie," he aims for nonchalant, clearly falling short.

"Seriously, where did you just go?" she shakes her head affectionately, hand falling into place at her hip. Beckett is watching the interaction silently, but her eyes dance with unshed laughter.

"Well, excuse me for getting consumed by thoughts of how brilliant my perfect graduate is…" he intones in mock defiance.

"Sure, sure," Alexis mutters, although the resounding beam she's giving him assures him that all is forgiven. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that my friends are leaving so…"

"Fine, I bid you adieu fair daughter," he sighs overdramatically and she brushes a kiss to his cheek.

"See you tomorrow, Dad, love you," she smiles.

"Love you too, pumpkin," he echoes as she draws away, lost to the crowd apart from a flash of red hair here and there and she makes her way to the exit. Martha disappears in her wake, with a gentle squeeze of his arm. He's left, alone at last with Beckett. As alone as they can be in a sea of people nonetheless…

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

The cab ride back to his loft is spent in relative silence. Castle is hesitant to break the spell, too captivated by her words earlier about understanding Alexis' speech and the part about _always_. It's no secret that the word is weighted more heavily to the pair of them than general society. It's their word. It's special, it's sacred. He likes thinking about what she could mean. He settles for cautiously optimistic. Considering how things have been lately, how open – to _him_ – she's seemed for these past few cases he figures he's allowed a little bit of cautious optimism. It's a hell of a lot nicer than the insufferable doubt and uncertainty that's plagued him over recent weeks. He suppresses a shudder at the recollection – he has been an _arse_. But, she's just so unreadable. He doesn't really know what to think anymore. The ball's in her court, which to be honest it always has been, but at least it seems like she's actually stepped into her court – no longer a mere spectator glancing over from the sideline.

He leads her gently into the loft, his hand falling oh-so-casually to the small of her back. His hand is not on fire, it's not… But it is igniting a curling flame in the pit of her stomach. She can't even find the grace to hide her body's physiological reaction to him anymore, she shivers at the sensation, prays he has the sense to overlook it – at least verbally. He remains silent, but his hand leans into the fabric of her coat just a little bit firmer. She stifles the hum of contentment that rises in the back of her throat. Later. Just later. He nudges her to the couch.

"Wine?" he queries as she settles into the soft cushions.

"Yeah," she agrees, closing her eyes with a soft smile. He's barely gone a minute before he's pressing a long-stemmed wineglass into her hand and quietly switching the television on. He flicks through his files and finds _The Killer_. The film bursts to life as she takes measured sips of the gleaming red liquid in her hand. "This is really nice, Castle," she sighs as he takes his place beside her. Close, but not quite close enough, always the gentleman. He hums his agreement, eyes flicking from the screen to gaze at her in adoration, the way her cheeks fill up as she sips, the long line of her neck as she swallows. It _is_ really nice. Too nice. His self control is about to shatter. She's so close, yet still so far away. He drags – literally, it takes all the effort he can possibly muster – his eyes back to the screen. Lucky he's seen the film before, otherwise he'd be confused. It's barely started and already it's lost his interest in comparison to the siren of a woman sitting beside him. He doesn't even need to be looking at her for his attention to be completely consumed by her.

Beckett yawns and shifts minutely towards him. Foolish man. If he'd just sat closer to as she wanted – _yearned _– for him to, she wouldn't have to oh-so-subtlety manoeuvre herself into his arms. His breathing stutters as she tentatively presses the line of her body flush with his so they are seated hip-to-hip, shoulder-to-shoulder. He quickly collects himself, but it's enough for Beckett to know that he is as aware of her body as she is of his. Good. That should make things easier. The knowledge spurs her on. A gory action sequence flashes to life on the screen and she takes full advantage of it, pressing her face into his shoulder with a shudder – a _completely_ fake shudder, but he buys it nonetheless.

"I wouldn't have taken you for someone who's afraid of little action, Beckett," he chuckles softly. Her face still masked by his shoulder she rolls her eyes fiercely at the double entendre, biting her lip to stay silent. He pauses a moment, gauging that she's letting it slide before growing a little bolder. "You know, if you're scared I could always hold your hand," his tone is a breezy cover, the genuine desire barely coated. She grins into his shoulder. Oh, she is so going to be successful in her plans for this evening. It's taking a nice turn. She pulls away from his shoulder, trails her hand down the inside of his arm until her fingers interlock gently with his. Keeping his eyes trained carefully on the film, he clutches her hand with all the tenderness in the world, a stupid smile unconsciously gracing his features. Beckett couldn't hide her resounding smile if she tried and the reality is, at this point, what's the use in trying? She half-heartedly focussed a snippet of her attention on the film. It drew her in, just a tad. She found herself laughing at a totally inappropriate moment, Castle turning to her in amusement. She tried to rein it in, drawing her free hand to her mouth to muffle the sound. "Beautiful," Castle commented. It fell from his lips without thought. He found once it did, he couldn't get it back. Beckett startled somewhat and turned to him, a deep blush pooling on her cheeks. He raised a hand, unable to resist and tucked the hair framing her face behind her ear. Her face reddened at his movements.

"Castle," she sighed, pressing her cheek into his lingering hand.

"Kate," he smiled softly. "You're so beautiful when you're happy," the tenderness of his tone combined with his touch set her skin alight.

"You make me happy, Castle," she asserted. "Only you," she added fiercely, drawing herself into the frame of his body and pressing her lips firmly to his. His blood boiled and he couldn't help himself, he deepened the kiss, tugging her body flush with his. She came easily, pressing herself to him as ardently as he dragged her in. After several moments they drew apart for air, but her lips stayed on his skin, peppering soft kisses along his jaw. He shuddered beneath her and hungrily met her supple lips once again. She tasted sweeter than their undercover kiss, there was no sizzling undercurrent of fear and adrenalin. It was purely her. He cradled her head in his hands and pulled her back gently so that she met his eyes. They were a reflection of his, unmasked love and desire and that alone almost undid him, _them_. "Bed," she ground out, her voice raw with longing.

"Bed," he agreed, yanking her to her feet and moulding his mouth to hers once again. Somehow, through his raging passion he managed to form the single coherent thought that he would never again spend a night alone. He had his _always_.

**AN: Cheesy, I know. But hey, that's how I roll. Besides, apparently my brain needed to get this out before I could even pretend to focus on my damn essay. So very academic of me… Please review! (I have to sit through some very boring lectures and having reviews to read will ensure my sanity remains intact…) **


	2. Chapter 2

_Featured_

Chapter 2

**AN: So, those of you who requested a "morning after" follow up, you win. You planted the idea in my head and naturally it consumed all my thoughts and begged to be let out… As always, please review, I so appreciate feedback. Oh, and keep in mind, it takes place kind of mid-always so Beckett hasn't resigned, etc. etc. **

Beckett wakes to find herself tangled in Castle's sheets, and the man himself. His legs are entangled with hers, a steady source of heat grounding her from a night spent tossing and turning. Beckett swallows a sigh of contentment, she's a snuggler at heart. Previous boyfriends would ardently argue the opposite. She hadn't wanted to snuggle with a man in a long time. She'd pushed them away, declared that she liked to be free to move during the night. They'd conceded and given her space. But, she was a snuggler. She supposed it stemmed from her childhood, Sunday mornings spent curled up in bed with her parents. The sense of security and complete and utter love that encompassed her with the press of her parents bodies beside hers. There is a simplicity in the reality of it all, Kate Beckett does not snuggle someone with her body unless she can snuggle them with her heart as well. Cheesy as it sounds, it fits, especially now as she finds herself intertwined with Castle and so undeniably happy that she can barely believe it.

She lifts her eyes from Castle's sleeping form to her surroundings, it's still dark, too dark for her to be awake without a decent reason. The sharp, shrill signal of her phone sounds and she recalls what pulled her from her slumber. It's probably a body drop. She reluctantly pulls herself away from Castle just a bit and searches frantically for the still-ringing phone, one hand blindly patting the floor until she connects with it and draws it to her ear. Naturally, it's dispatch. It's a shame, she was really looking forward to spending the morning snuggling in bed with Castle. Oh well, there's _always_ tomorrow.

"Castle," she murmurs into his ear, deliberately keeping her tone seductive and a little teasing. There's no response from the man beside her. She rolls her eyes and shifts back into him, pressing her lips in a slow trail of kisses up his chest. Still no movement. Really? "Castle…" she tries again, louder. Seriously? What is he, in a coma? She grins a little diabolically to herself in the quiet night air. She knows _exactly_ what will wake him up…

"Ow, ow, ow! Woman! What did you do that for?" Castle moans, bursting to life, swatting fiercely at Beckett's fingers still firmly twisting his ear.

"You could've woken up when I kissed you," she shrugs, soothing over his ear gently with her fingertips in a silent apology.

"You kissed me? You really should wake me up for that – I like being an active participant," Castle frowns.

"I tried! I've seen bodies on Lanie's slab wake up quicker than you," she teases. He shudders a little in response at the recollection. "Speaking of bodies…" she hedges.

"Oh right," he sighs. "You want a shower?"

"Yeah, but… I should probably go home, get some clean clothes, might as well do it there," she reasons with a brisk nod, as if she's trying to convince herself as well.

"Do you have to?" Castle whines. "Oh, you can borrow something from Alexis' wardrobe, she won't mind," he grins. "It'll save us loads of time. Don't want to leave Lanie standing round getting grumpy waiting for us…" She rolls her eyes but nods her agreement.

"Want to help me save the environment?" she adds, her eyes twinkling. Castle merely beams and tugs her into the bathroom in response. All his fears of waking alone washed away in the steam of Beckett's watery embrace. This is it.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Esposito eyes them suspiciously as they arrive at the crime scene. Sure, they shared a cab, it wouldn't be the first time. Nonetheless, there's an air between them, like they're deliberately distancing themselves from each other. He wonders if they've had yet another fight. He hasn't been blind to all the tension of late. Still, it seemed fairly resolved, Castle had stopped toting blonde bimbos at the precinct and Beckett had stopped looking like she wanted to shoot someone – _everyone_. Something is definitely up. Castle is almost quiet – it's decidedly eerie. Usually he likes to annoy the crap out of Beckett by rambling on incessantly about every thought that comes to his mind.

He watches as they kneel beside the body. Castle is a little unsteady as he settles on his haunches, rocking like he might topple over, Beckett steadies him with a hand to his thigh. Castle rights himself, but Beckett's hand remains insistently on his leg, he gazes at her with a look of pure wonderment as she keeps her eyes steadfastly on the corpse, a small smile curling her lips skyward. Castle presses his hand atop hers and squeezes it in thanks. She flips her hand over and laces their fingers tightly together, and – oh, my god, that's when Esposito knows, _knows_, beyond a shadow of a doubt why his boss and her partner are acting so weirdly this morning.

Of course, knowing is one thing, torturing Beckett and Castle for the sake of it is something else altogether.

Beckett squeezes Castle's hand gently once more, and drops it as Lanie slowly draws her eyes from the body as she finishes the abbreviated version of her preliminary findings. Beckett nods in response to something Lanie has said and Esposito can't help but grin to himself, Lanie is going to be _so_ mad that he figured it out first. At this rate, he might just win the pool. That's almost a bigger victory than the actual relationship between Castle and Beckett. Almost.

Before Esposito has time to formulate a solid plan as to how to mess with his friends, Ryan stumbles back into the alley grumbling about having to do scut work at this hour of the morning. His canvass of the surrounding streets hasn't resulted in anything and he's in a little bit of a mood. Esposito ignores his mumbling and stills him with a hard to his arm before he approaches Beckett with the news of his fruitless search.

"Just wait a minute, bro," he mouths quickly. Beckett is getting to her feet and Castle's arm has risen supposedly inconspicuously to support the underside of her elbow and she stands. Esposito smirks broadly at the gesture. Ryan observes him wryly.

"What's up with you?" he demands loudly with all the subtly of a love-struck-Castle. Esposito answers him a sigh and a shake of his head. Clearly his partner is not in a detecting mood this morning. He'll just have to fill him in on the ride back to the precinct.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Castle kisses Beckett sweetly as the elevator ascends. Beckett smiles into his lips. It has all the makings of a new tradition. Possibly a favourite tradition. She pulls away, but they remain shoulder to shoulder, learning against the back of the elevator as the doors to the bullpen slide open. Esposito is standing before them, arms crossed, a smirk on his face. Beckett pointedly ignores him. He can't know. He can't know what they did last night, or what they just did in the elevator. He may suspect – she probably kept her hands on Castle a little too much at the crime scene – but he can't know. So, she steps around him and strides confidently to her desk with Castle trailing a safe distance behind her.

The morning progresses slowly, the case is stagnating so the whole lot of them trudge down to the morgue. Lanie raises an eyebrow as the four of them walk in.

"Please have something for us," Beckett offers by way of explanation. Lanie opens her mouth to respond as a voice chimes in from the adjoining room –

"I found them, thanks Lanie!" resonates cheerfully through the room.

"Alexis?" Castle calls, confusing clouding his tone.

"Oh, hey Dad," his daughter beams as she steps into the room. "Detectives," she adds, taking in all the occupants of the room.

"Hi Alexis," Beckett smiles, as the boys nod in greeting.

"What are you doing here," Castle queries, curious more than anything else.

"I just stopped by on the way home, left my gloves here," she raises the aforementioned gloves with a shrug. "Oh Detective Beckett, I like your shirt!" Beckett attempts to keep her face from flaming beet red at the comment, she succeeds, at least until the girl adds, "I have the same one, except mine has a stain on the oh…" she trails away blushing fiercely. Beckett finds her cheeks reddening in an echo of the girl before her.

Lanie squeals. There's no other word for it.

"Katherine Beckett, care to explain why you are wearing little Castle's shirt?" she hisses, but there's no threat to her tone.

"I knew it!" Esposito's fist pump is anything but manly. Beckett buries her head into Castle's shoulder for a moment before Lanie drags her into the room Alexis has just come from, slamming the door behind them. They leave a startled Alexis gaping at Castle, Ryan unintentionally mirroring her expression as Esposito silently gloats. Nothing about Lanie's interrogation is delicate. Her voice rises through the closed door for all the room to hear.

"Finally, Kate, finally! God, I need details, girl. The whole play-by-play. Even fricking second! Wait? Something really did happen right? You didn't just spill coffee on your shirt or something ridiculous like that? Please tell me you let that adoring man rip the clothes from your body and they're lying in shreds on his floor?" From the exuberant tenor of her voice Castle can practically see the excitement bouncing in Lanie's eyes through the closed door.

"Lanie, Lanie! Lanie!" Kate is calling, her voice rising in frustration. "Lanie!" she finally screams and her friend's mouth snaps shut, before flopping back open – she reminds Beckett of a caught fish gasping for water. "Would you just shut up?" Beckett's voice is travelling over into the adjoining room as she matches the volume of her friend. "Yes, yes, okay. We're together. We love each other. Whatever. Deal with it!" She wants to add more but she finds herself crushed to her best friend's chest in a rib crunching hug. The door to the room slams open as Castle propels into the pair of them.

"We love each other?" he demands, a sense of awe sweeping over him. Beckett shoots Lanie a deathly glare before turning to Castle, her bottom lip gently caught between her teeth.

"Yes?" she replies, her eyes drifting to his chest, a little scared to meet his steady gaze.

"Yes," he asserts reverently. He nudges her chin upwards to meet his gaze. "I love you, so much," he affirms.

"I love you too," she beams. He crushes his lips to hers fiercely in response. She meets him just as greedily, pressing the line of her body into his. Perhaps a little too intimately for company given the –

"Eww," that slips from Alexis' mouth at the sight of them. Castle pulls back just enough to hug Beckett tightly, his lips skimming over the crown of her head. Despite the psychological damage Alexis is evidently suffering, their embrace achieves one thing, Lanie has fallen silent, her jaw dropping wide open, her eyes glassy. She appears to have slipped into shock. Typical. Beckett twists in Castle's embrace and turns to face her.

"Don't we have a case to solve…" she teases with a wide smirk. It's business as usual for Beckett, after all, she's practically been in a relationship with Castle for the past few years as it is…


End file.
